Map Reading and Navigation Flashcards
7 cards from real NFST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Map Reading and Navigation flashcards as text
If you are traveling east and turn 90 degrees to your left, what direction are you now facing?
Answer: North
Turning 90 degrees to the left while facing east means you rotate counterclockwise and are now facing north.
What is a 'legend' on a map?
Answer: A key explaining the symbols used
A legend, or map key, is a section that explains what each symbol, color, or pattern on the map represents.
Which U.S. government agency produces the official 7.5-minute topographic maps of the United States?
Answer: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the federal agency responsible for producing the standard topographic quadrangle maps of the United States.
On a map, what does a dashed contour line represent?
Answer: An approximate or supplementary contour
Dashed contour lines, called supplementary or auxiliary contours, are used in areas where standard contour intervals are too large to show important terrain details.
What does the term 'latitude' refer to in geographic navigation?
Answer: Distance north or south of the equator
Latitude measures angular distance north or south of the equator, ranging from 0° at the equator to 90° at the poles.
A trail marked on a map with a dotted or dashed line typically indicates what type of path?
Answer: An unmaintained or primitive trail
Dotted or dashed lines on topographic maps usually represent unmaintained, primitive, or informal trails rather than developed paths.
When using grid coordinates to identify a location, in what order are coordinates typically read?
Answer: Easting first, then Northing
Grid coordinates are always read 'right then up' — Easting (x-axis) first, then Northing (y-axis), following the standard military and cartographic convention.